Parents say

Kids say

My 4-year old was traumatized

Immediately beneath the "Adult Reviews" box for Finding Nemo is the quote "recommended for: Ages 2 and up." I either didn't see the "common sense notes" on Nemo or it hadn't yet been posted. In either case, based on the "ages 2 and up" recommendation, and the glowing reviews from parents on this site, I brought my little girl on Saturday to her first movie-theater feature. I wish I hadn't. The movie spends the first 15 minutes or so investing the audience in the two main characters, then spends the next hour putting these characters' lives in peril, in a series of near-violent deaths accentuated by all the soundtrack and sound-effect pyrotechnics you'd expect. There was a huge shark with hundreds of teeth gnashing at the protagonist for a few minutes straight, a freakish looking fish with spiked teeth gnashing at the protagonist for a few minutes, the other protagonist nearly getting shredded in a fish tank filter, the first protagonist and his friend nearly dying in an ever-tightening minefield of jellyfish -- the list goes on and on. I expected a joyful experience where I didn't have to actively parent for a couple of hours. I was dead wrong.
Note: my child's media consumption is mostly limited to more feel-good types of shows like Pooh, Mr. Rogers, Clifford, etc., but she is not a shrinking violet.

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This review...

Toddlers watching a movie? Really?

No child under 5 needs to be sitting in front of a movie in the first place. My kids didn't watch movies until at least 5 yrs. so don't give it a bad review just because your preschooler or toddler appeared scared. It is is funny, sweet movie.

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Great, but need to skip scary parts

We love this movie for my preschool age kids, but we have to skip a good 4-5 large scenes. This makes it a little hard for them to follow the storyline. There are just too many scary parts in this movie for young kids to watch the whole movie. However, the animation is colorful and amazing in most spots. The main characters are cute and have good personalities. Nothing annoying, either!

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Violence & scariness

Positive Messages

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I love this movie. The scariest scene with mom &amp; eggs being eaten is in chapter 1 on the dvd so I usually skip it and begin the movie with Nemo and Marlin leaving for the first day of school. That cuts down on the scary and the slightly awkward intro is soon forgotten.

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Violence & scariness

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Perfect for all ages

We love it specially on the part where the shark says, " Fish are friends not food." This also sends a message to everyone that this animals also has feelings and they are also a person inside a tiny body.

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Educational Value

Positive Messages

Positive role models

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Our four-year-old only made it through the first few minutes, and that is after we skipped the beginning where Nemo's mom and family (except Dad) meet a violent end. This, like most kids movies, is much too intense and scary for sensitive preschoolers.

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Violence & scariness

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I've had this one for a while waiting until my 4.5yo was old enough to watch. Based on the review here being suitable for 4+ (and my opinion that the age ratings on this site are often conservative), she watched it today. This is one time I think the reviewers here got it wrong. It was frequently too scary for her and I'm not sure that she actually enjoyed the experience as a result. This from a child who usually wants to watch scary bits.

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Violence & scariness

Positive Messages

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This is an immensely scary movie -- beware!

There are a lot of great things to say about this movie -- but after seeing it, my 9-yr old son and 12 yr-old media savvy daughter refused to go into our pool in the daytime, let alone on a trip to the beach!! They each told me during the movie how scary it is.
The good news is that we care about Nemo and his dad very much, and their emotions are conveyed very effectively. The bad news is that the numerous times they are in grave danger, all the big teeth attacking or threatening them relentlessly, their heartbreaking losses just add up to a very scary movie. We adore Dory (she salvaged the movie for us) and laughed out loud many times, but when we left the movie, neither kid even wanted to RENT the movie when it comes out, showing just how un-kid-friendly it ultimately was.

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Finding Nemo

This could potentially traumatize your small kids (6 and under): BEWARE! There are potentially frightening scenes in this movie, from my experience with other movies that have traumatized children, do not show this to anyone too small, they may cry and/ or have nightmares. This next bit also contains spoilers from the film, be warned again. Marvin, the father, begins the movie by losing his wife and all but one of their unborn children to a hungry fish, one of the saddest scenes in the film and could possibly be the beginning of Bambi level of traumatizing. Then Nemo, the son, gets kidnapped, by a diver from a boat or as the kids called it "The Butt". Marvin then goes off to look for his son and Dory eventually joins him, they join a meeting for sharks calling fish "Friends not food", one of them loses control almost killing Marvin and Dory. Then Marvin and Dory nearly get killed by jelly fish as well. Meanwhile Nemo, he was put into a fish tank with fish mainly from pet shops and one other from the ocean, they try to muck up the filter in the tank to try and escape in bags, that nearly gets Nemo killed the first time. Then there is Darla, who is known for killing fish by shaking the bag too hard, Nemo plays dead, Marvin believes his son is dead, Nemo finally gets free, and finds his dad. Dory gets captured in a net and Nemo goes to help, but him and Dory almost die. There's a lot of near death situations in this movie. I know it's Pixar, but still. I'm not saying it's a bad movie for kids, it's a fantastic movie, just be warned if your kid is too young this is not the best movie you could show them. Good for people around six and up, it has great role models and great messages.

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This review...

Too violent. Why all the violence?

I can mostly echo the exact same sentiments that others posted about the scary nature of this movie, and I agree 100% with bobtedeschi's review. The entire movie, with the exception of the EAC turtles scene, is the protagonists fleeing for their lives from frighteningly drawn (computerized) characters with giant teeth and roaring sound effects. I think this adds so little to the story I wonder why in the world it is necessary. The characters are endearing, the story is sweet, there's a lot of humor for kids and grownups. So why do we need to have all of these life-threatening intimidating chase scenes? The movie would have been just as good without it.
For example, at the beginning of the movie, after we have connected with the parents and their nest of baby fish eggs, a barracuda violently ransacks (and presumably eats) the eggs and mother, leaving only Nemo and his dad. Why could we not just start the movie with Nemo and his dad on their own?
The protagonsists are also chased and nearly killed by: a group of 3 sharks with giant teeth, a niche fish with giant teeth (who comes out of the blackness to get them) and a school of jellyfish (complete with "shocking" sound effects). Nemo is also nearly shredded in a filter fan. This movie would have been amply engaging without the scary parts. They are attractive and amusing characters, but the incessantly unrelenting scary scenes really ruined the movie for me and my four year old, who won't watch this again for at least another year when she is 5. Perhaps then, but maybe not even then.

This title contains:

Violence & scariness

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Total trash

Super innapropriate for small children. There are multiple sexual innuendos such as "touch the butt" that are innapropriate for children under 15. I would rather be the one to expose my kids to and explain to them anything sexual, not a trashy movie. Also, parts of this oboe were scary for even me when I pre screened it. Sharks and big nets are too much for children. My child is 10 and he will not be watching this for several years at least because I do not think he can handle it.

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Great Film, Traumatising opening act.

A beautiful film about family, trust and the need to let children go when they're ready, many of the messages here are aimed squarely at adults. However it's also a great action adventure.
I'm a little concerned by the Age 5+ recommendation. The opening scene where Nemo's mother is killed by the Barracuda would traumatise most 4 or 5 year olds. Having said that the rest of the film is probably great for this age range. Fast forward past the opening and make sure you watch it with them because there are one other scary moments (but nothing nearly as bad as the opening)

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Ocean adventure with no 2 yr old fright.

This is one of about 6 movies I would show to a 2 yr old. At 2, they are too young to understand that sharks are scary. The shark scene is pretty short and mild.
This is one of my go-to movies on sick days.

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